Afro Samurai (PS3)

This review is for Afro Samurai, a game for the Playstation III. The game is an action and fighting game, based on the anime series of the same name.

Afro Samurai, the character in the game you play, has to explore through multiple levels, and although there are some platforming and adventure elements in the game, most of what you have to do is fighting. And the fighting you take part in is certainly violent and graphic, as you will be expected to take the head off your opponents, and watch them bleed profusely everywhere after doing so.

Starting with the positive, the graphics and sound. The graphics in the game use cell animation, which goes back to the game’s anime roots. These really do suit the game, and are atmospheric and well created. In terms of the sound and the music in this game, it’s pretty much the best that I’ve come across in any games release. There are spoken elements from Samuel L Jackson which are superb, and the sound effects add a huge amount of atmosphere to the game.

Playability in the game though is a different factor. The game is a little too easy to play, and I write as not a very good games player, so if I find it too easy, it’s probably hopelessly easy for some. The reason it’s easy is that although there are lots of different power-up moves, you can get through the game just by pressing the same button time and time again, which does diminish significantly from the game’s interest.

There are some challenges in the game, but they are normally ones which require some repetition of games play, such as jumping on a series of platforms. Repetition is unfortunately quite common in this game, as there are a limited number of opponents, and the games play throughout is very similar. Added to the very linear way the game is set out, as you have to conquer opponents in a certain order before being able to progress, the game does feel quite limited after a while.

There are also problems with the camera panning in the game, which is really quite awkward, and frustrating for quite a lot of the time. What this meant for me is that when you expect the camera to be on Afro Samurai, it’s not, it’s elsewhere and trying to bring it back is both awkward, fiddly and very distracting when you’re in the middle of a fight trying to take someone’s head off.

I also found the game frustrating insomuch that you can’t save the game at the points where you’d like to, which is something I always dislike. It can mean replaying parts of the game again, and I’d personally at least like to choose when I save the game, rather than have that dictated to me.

The game retails for 44.99 pounds, but at the time of writing is available on Amazon for 28.75 pounds. If you’re happy with a second hand copy of the game, these are available on sites such as eBay and Amazon for around ten to twelve pounds at the moment. The game is rated as 18+, so isn’t suitable for children, and the game isn’t suitable for anyone who dislikes violence and nudity, as both feature in the game.

In summary, there are a lot of pluses to this game. The graphics and sound are of a very high standard, and it’s fun to explore around the game’s world. However, there are playability issues which can become frustrating, and although the game is not too difficult to complete, it does somehow seem to lack the sparkle of other classic games and not be quite as satisfying. This was an expensive game when released, rather too expensive, but if you can pick up a cheaper second hand copy and you like this genre of games, it’s definitely worth a look.

(also on dooyoo under same name)